Gomphrena plant named &#39;SAKGOM005&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  Gomphrena  plant particularly distinguished by having lavender flowers with white tips and a spreading plant growth habit, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Gomphrena globosa

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘SAKGOM005’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises of a new and distinct variety of Gomphrena, botanically known as Gomphrena globosa, and referred to by the variety name ‘SAKGOM005’. ‘SAKGOM005’ originated from a controlled cross in July 1994 in Misato, Japan between the proprietary female Gomphera breeding line ‘94A-417’ having a white flower color and upright growth habit and the proprietary male line ‘94T-414A’ having a smoky pink flower color and a creeping growth habit, producing seventeen F₁ seeds. In April 1995, the seventeen F₁ seeds were sowed and seven plants were cultivated. In July 1995, three plants were then chosen having a purple flower color and upright habit. Between July 1996 and February 2009, seeds from the three chosen plants were cross-pollinated and seeds were obtained. In February 2009, 2000 seeds were sowed and 1000 plants were cultivated based on whether plants had pink flowers, lavender flowers, and lavender flowers with white tips, and whether plants had an upright plant growth habit or a spreading plant growth habit. In April 2009, a single plant was selected from this group having lavender flowers with white tips and spreading plant growth habit.

From May 2009 to December 2009, the selection was evaluated in an open field in Misato, Japan. Vegetative cuttings of the variety were then shipped to Salinas, Calif., where the plants were regenerated and reevaluated for stability of traits. The selection subsequently was named ‘SAKGOM005’ and was found to have its unique characteristics reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

1. Lavender flowers with white tips; and

2. A spreading plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Gomphrena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of plants grown about two-months-old in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the summer of 2013. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the mature flowers of the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKGOM005’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on two-month-old plants under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2013. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Amaranthaceae.         -   Botanical.—Gomphrena globosa.         -   Common.—Globe amaranth.         -   Designation.—‘SAKGOM005’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Gomphrena line ‘94A-417’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Gomphrena line ‘94T-414A’             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—2 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of DIP N GROW (1 solution: 9 water), a root             inducing solution, immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient             roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and             grown in 20 cm plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in             Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing             medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10%             phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every             other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with             a dry, slow release fertilizer containing 14% nitrogen, 14%             phosphorus and 14% potassium. The typical average air             temperature was 24° C.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6 to 8 weeks. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Upright, freely branching.         -   Form.—Prostrate.         -   Life cycle.—Annual.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—22.0 cm; 1.0 cm             from soil line to first node.         -   Spread.—40.0 cm.         -   Flowering requirements.—Spring to fall, will flower year             round at temperatures of 24 to 35° C. -   Stems:     -   -   Description.—Dull, circular in cross section.         -   Quantity.—Numerous.         -   Branching.—Abundant.         -   Stem length.—10.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—5.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 138A (Green).         -   Pubescence.—Abundant, long, hair-like, RHS N155A (White).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight at base of stem of RHS 59A             (Red-Purple). -   Branches:     -   -   Quantity.—3 main.         -   Description.—Dull, circular in cross-section.         -   Color.—RHS 59A (Red-Purple).         -   Pubescence.—Abundant, long, hair-like, RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—8.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Internode length.—3.0 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Decurrant.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Long, abundant hair like             fibers, RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—4.5 cm.         -   Width.—1.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—Less than 0.1 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 146A (Yellow-Green) Lower surface:             RHS 147B (Yellow-Green).         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type and appearance.—Small, globose-shaped bracts; small             flat flowers arranged in dense, terminal heads, globose,             papery textured clover live flower heads, flowers are             upright and outwardly facing; flowers are sessile with a             single two-parted perianth; inflorescence heads are             subtended by two small flower bracts.         -   Total number of flowers per plant.—Approximately 150.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—80 to 100.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—Approximately             4 weeks.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Inflorescence height.—1.5 cm to 1.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth.—1.3 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence color.—RHS N78A (Purple), with RHS N155A             (White) at tip.         -   Flower height.—0.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Sepals.—None observed. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Surface texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Length.—0.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Color.—RHS N78A (Purple). -   Bracts:     -   -   Quantity.—2.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Length.—0.6 cm.         -   Width.—0.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color (both surfaces).—RHS N78A (Purple). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—4.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Angle.—Mostly upright to 40° vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong, moderate.         -   Color.—RHS 138A (Green).         -   Surface texture and appearance.—Abundant pubescence, with             long, hair-like fibers RHS N155A (White). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5 per flower.         -   Stamen color.—RHS N155A (White).         -   Stamen length.—0.4 cm.         -   Filament length.—0.3 cm.         -   Filament color.—RHS 143A (Green).         -   Anther length.—0.5 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 155A (White).         -   Pollen color.—RHS 155A (White).         -   Pollen amount.—Sparse.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Ovary shape.—Oval.         -   Ovary surface color.—RHS 165C (Greyed-orange).         -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.         -   Pistil length.—0.5 cm.         -   Stigma shape.—Bi-parted.         -   Stigma length.—0.1 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 5D (Yellow).         -   Style length.—0.3 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 5D (Yellow).         -   Seed production.—Absent.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: No unusual susceptibility or     resistance to diseases or insects has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKGOM005’ is a new and unique variety of Gomphrena owing to its lavender flowers with white tips and spreading plant growth habit. ‘SAKGOM005’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flower color and habit as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Parent Male Parent Characteristic ‘SAKGOM005’ ‘94A-417’ ‘94T-414A’ Flower color Lavender with White Smoky pink white tips Habit Spreading Upright Creeping

‘SAKGOM005’ is a new and unique variety of Gomphrena owing to its lavender flowers with white tips. When ‘SAKGOM005’ is compared to the commercial Gomphrena variety ‘Balboa’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,263) the difference is described in the table below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKGOM005’ ‘Balboa’ Flower color Lavender with white tips Purple 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gomphrena plant as shown and described herein. 